Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

BOYS' SCHOOL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In your issue of Saturday last I observe a report of a meeting of the Committee of Management of this Institution . Amongst other things , I see that

Bro . Saunders states that a boy from Manchester , after having been educated at our Schools as a gentleman , on his return '' looked down upon his brothers and sisters . " Will Bro . Saunders kindly give the name of that boy ? as I have been connected with the Charity Committee of the Province of East Lancashire for the last 25 years , and have never heard a single word of such a case .

I am afraid this is on a par with the other rubbish which is so frequently talked about taking a boy from a family and educating him well while the rest of the family are allowed to live in the gutter . Whenever I hear anyone make this remark I invariably ask whether the brother making it has ever known of such a case , but up to the present I have not been able to find one . —I am , yours fraternally , MANCUNIUM .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1093 ] — CORRECTION . PROVINCE OK MIDDLESEX . I was in error , much to my regret , in quoting the numbsr of members in the Province of Middlesex , owing to my misunderstanding the Table . The correct figures are as follow -. There are 42 lodges in the province , the returns for 1896 exhibiting a total of 1416 members , being an average of nearly 34 to each lodge ,

and the largest number yet recorded for Middlesex . When the province was formed there were only about a dozen lodges , and as that event occurred as recently as 1870 , it will be seen how rapidly the numbers have increased and how prosperous the Provincial Grand Lodge is under the present regime . From the start the brethren in Middlesex have been blessed with zealous and capable rulers ,

indefatigable Deputy Provincial Grand Masters , and Provincial Grand Secretaries . The notes appehded to the Calendar , so ably edited by Bro . Howard H . Room , Prov . G . Sec , & c , should not only be studied by the members of the province , but are deserving of being reproduced in other similar publications for the information of officers of lodges generally . W . J . HUGHAN .

Reviews.

Reviews .

{ Continued from p . 32 . ) "MOTHER LODGE KILWINNING . —The Ancient Lodge of Scotland . " Discussion of an Old Historical Question . By Rev . William Lee Ker , M . A ., Minister of Kilwinning , Author of " Kilwinning Abbey , " & c . Alexander Gardner , Publisher to her Majesty the Oueen , Paisley ; and 26 , Paternoster-square , London . 1896 . —We concluded the first part of our review of this work by expressing our opinion that the peculiar expression in the opening paragraph of William Schaw ' s Statutes of 1599— "the heid and secund Lodge of Scotland , " as applied to the Lodge of Kilwinning , must be interpreted to mean

that it was , at one and the same time , " the heid lodge " within the boundis , " set forth in Ihe opening lines of the said paragraph , and the " secund ludgc " in the whole of Scotland . In this opinion we are confirmed by the futther statements respecting the Lodge of Kilwinning which are contained in these Statutes . Thus in the second paragraph , which begins "it is thocht neidfull and expedient by my lord warden general ! that every ludge within Scotland sail have in tyme cuming the auld and anticnt liberties therof vsit and wont of befoir , " it is added " and in special ! , that the ludge of Kilwynning secund ludge of Scotland , sallhaif thair wardent present at the

election of the wardems within the boundis of the Nether Ward of Cliddisdaill , Glasgow , Air , and boundis of Carrik ; with power to the said warden and dekyn of Kilwynning to convene the remanent wardenis and dekynis within the boundis foirsaid quhan thay haf any neid of importance ado , & thay to be judgit be the warden and dekyn of Kihvjnning quhen it sell pleis thame to convene for the tyme , aithcr in Kilwynning , or within ony other part of the west of Scotland and boundis foirsaid . " Here , then , we have it laid down that the "ludge of Kilwynning , " notwithstanding it is declared to be only the " secund

ludge of Scotland "shall exercise a certain supremacy over the ludges within certain uell-di fined " boundis . " The third paragraph still more clearly defines the position of the lodge of Kilwinnning on what we now speak of as the roll or register of lodges in Scotland , for in it we are told "it is thocht neidfull and expedient be my lord warden generall that Edinburgh sail be in all tyme cuming , as of btfoir , the first and principall ludge in Scotland , and that Kihvjnning be the second ludge , as of btfoir is notourlie manifest in our auld antient writtis , and that Stirueling sail be the thrid ludge , confoime to the auld piiviliges thairof . " Taking these three paragraphs together we

deduce iiom them the following position —( 1 ) Edinburgh shall be " in all tyme cuming , as ol befoir , the first and principall ludge in Scotland ; ( 2 ) that the Lodge of Kilwinning shall be "the second ludge , as of befoir , ii notourlie manifest in our auld antient writtis ; " and ( 3 ) the Lodge of Kilwinning , notwithstanding that it is only the " secund ludge of Scotland , " shall exercise supremacy over the lodges " within the boundis of the Nether Ward of Cliddisdail 1 , Glasgow , Air , and boundis of Carrick . " Here , at all events , to use Bro . Ker's cwn expression , which we quoted last week , "there is no forcing of the language of Schaw . There is no twisting of it . It is simply making- him

look on and speak of Kilwinnirg Lodge in the aspect in which , as we believe , he felt himself forced to regard it . " Though Edinburgh was ' -the first and principall ludge in Scotland" and Kiln inning only "the secund ludge , " yet the Utter was to possess and exercise certain powers and prerogatives over the lodges in a certain district of Scotland , which powers and prerogatives would , in ihe natural order of things , belong to and be exercised by "the first and principall ludge in Scotland . " And to use a further expression of Bro . Ker , we say "Adopt this solution , and then the Statutes present no difficulty . Set it aude . and there

is nothing but guesses , suppositions , and doubts respecting the most important historical lefenncesin them . " So far , indted , are we from thinking , as Bro . Ker evidently thinks , that Schaw looked upon the Lodge of Kilwinning as having been " the heid " lodge of Scotland in the past and had resolved that in the future it was to be only the " secund" lodge , that we consider he ( Schaw ) both recogni es an J allows the supremacy of Edinburgh "in all tyme cuming , as of bifjir , " as " the first and principall ludge in

Scotland , " and this he does the very moment after he has conf . rred new powers upon Kilwinning . In our opinion it is hardly possible for Schaw to have delin-id the positions of Edinburgh and Kilwinning towards each other more clearly and precisely , and the reason why the latter figures so prominently in these statutes is tint it had bsen " thocht r . eidfull and expedient" that within the " boundis " of which it was " the heid " lodge it was to have and exercise certain new powers which it had not had or exercised " as of befoir . " At the same time it was not " thocht neidfull and expedient" that the

Reviews.

conferring of those new powers should be allowed to disturb the pre-existing order of priority of these two lodges . We say " pre-existing , " because we attach the greatest importance to the introduction of the words " of befoir" or " as of befoir ; " nor do we think it necessary to go out of our way to prescribe a time limit to which it may be held to apply . Bro . Ker tells us , indeed , that " none of the Masonic historians place much importance" on the phrase , and assuming his statement is correct , we can only say that in this particular we differ

trom them . Omit it , or attach to it no importance , and we have the order of seniority of these two lodges determined prospectively without any reference to what it may have been in the past . It becomes , indeed , a matter of absolute indifferencs what that order may have been , that is to say , whether Kiln inning was the first , and Edinburgh the second , or Edinburgh was the first , and Kilwinning secon 3 . But bchaw does not take upon himself to settle this question of precedency as between the two lodges in this summary fashion . On the contrary , he justifies the settlement for the future by declaring it to

be in strict accordance with the pre-existing order , though , how long such order had pre-existed it is not in the power of anyone of us to determine , and possibly even Schaw himself could not have done so . As regards the Edinburgh lodge , he declares it to be " neidfull and expedient" that it "sail be in all tyme cuming , as of befoir , the first and principall ludge in Scotland , " while as regards that of Kilwinning , he says it shall be " the secund ludge , as of befoir is notourlie in manifest in our auld antient writtis . " This is the Justification he goes out of his way to furnish in his third paragraph ,

and we quote another of Bro . Ker ' s expressions , though not in the sense in which he applies it , that "Schaw is speaking retrospectively as well as prospectively , but his dicta , both retrospective and prospective are precisely to the same effect , namely , that Edinburgh was to remain " in all tyme cuming as of befoir the first and principull ludge in Scotland , " and Kilwinning " as of befoir is notourlie manifest in our auld ancient writtis " the secund . As regards any claims to priority which may have been made by the Lodge of Kilwinning itself—as when in 1643

she styled herself "the ancient ludge of Scotland "—or in her behalf , it will need something more than the series of vain imaginings which form the staple of Bro . Ker's vindication to disturb the dictum of William Schaw in his Statutes of 1599 as to the priority of Edinburgh over Kilwinning . Doubtless , Bro . Ker is a Past Master in the art of special pleading , and as an illustration of what an able man may do in the presence of insuperable difficulties , his book is interesting and even instructive . But it will notdo even for so able a writer as he to settle down and determine now what was in the mind

of a Masonic lawgiver when he was compiling his Statutes three hundred years ago . There are many who will accept Bro . Ker ' s ingenious theories , because there are many who believe in the " heidship " of Mother Kilwinning ; but it is not the partisan to whom we must look for a decisive judgment on a question of this grave importance , but rather the man of strictly unbiased judgment , who , after the manner of a judge in one of our courts of law , will pass by without the slightest comment the eloquent appeals of opposing advocates in behalf of their respective clients , and confine himself to a

minute and careful examination of the value of every tittle of evidence that has been brought to his notice . And what man is there among those to whom it is a matter ^ of complete indifference whether in this particular case it is Edinburgh or Kilwinning which emerges triumphant from the trial , who will not affirm that the statements contained in the Schaw Statutes of 1599 establish indubitably the priority of Edinburgh over Kilwinning , not only at the time when these Statutes were compiled but " of befoir" likewise . Bro . Ker argues that Schaw was making a

new departure when he arranged the order of precedence of these two lodges in these Statutes . Says he—as we have before quoted— "Schaw in speaking retrospectively as well as prospectively of the Lodge of Kilwinning , speaking of it , that is , as the head lodge in the past and what he wishes it to be , viz ,, the second lodge of the future . " All it is necessary for us to do in replying to this assertion is to call attention to the third paragraph of the Statutes in which the expression " as of befoir " is introduced in connection with both the Edinburgh and Kilwinning lodges . How far back this " as

befoir" may be understood to extend it is impossible—nor indeed is _ it necessary—for any one to say or even to guess . Schaw cannot , or does not , of his own knowledge speak more definitely , but he declares the precedence of Edinburgh over Kilwinning to have existed in the past and he considers it " neidfull and expedient" that it shall continue to exist in the future . Then Bro . Ker points out , as Bro . Gould , whom he quotes , had previously pointed out , that these 1599 Statutes " were arranged especially for the old Lodge of KilwinningAyrshire" and he offers " two reasons which must

, , naturally suggest themselves , " namely —( 1 ) "because it was the head lodge of Scotland ; " and ( 2 ) "because there was an attempt to be made to limit its jurisdiction and lessen its authority . " To this we reply as regards the first reason that Schaw distinctly declares in the third paragraph that Edinburgh was at the time of his writing and had been for some undefined period previously "the first and principall ludge in Scotland ; " and as regards the second , that it was because special powers and prerogatives were beine conferred upon the lodge of Kilwinning as "the heid " lodge in

a certain district under these statutes that it absorbs nearly the whole of his attention as their compiler . But it is not necessary that we should prolong this argument . H id Bro . Ker taken as great pains , and exhibited as much ingenuity in trying to interpret Schaw ' s Statutes of 1599 in their natural sense , that is , in the only sense which their language will bear , after a careful consideration of the more important pissiges , we should , doubtless , have had a scholarly vindication of Mother Kilwinning's claims to

distinction as one of the most ancient and most respected of our Scottish lodges , in place of an elaborate array of grotesque theories which , to the earnest student of the more remote history of our Order , must be both amazing and amusing . There are some further comments which we desire to make on the acts of the Grand Lodge of Scotland in 173 O and 1807 in respect of the Lodge of Kilwinning , but these must be reserved for a third and concluding part , which will appear in our next week ' s issue .

( To be continued ) . "MASONIC CALENDAR OF LODGES , COUNCILS , & c , meeting at Mark Masons ' Hall , and Roll of Grand Officers from 1 S 56 , & o , & c . Published by authority of the General Board , 1 S 97 . "—This able and most interesting , as well as very accurate , Mark Annual is edited by Bro . C . F . Matier , the esteemed Mark Grand Secretary , who is noted for the excellence and thoroughness of his work , whether editorial , ritualistic , or

official . The labour of compilation must have been considerable , and yet , with all the numerous figures , details , and names , so far as we have tested the particulars , ail the many items are exact , well arranged , and most complete . This welcome and most useful publication is in its 12 th year of issue , and is sold at sixpence per copy , so it is a veritable mullum inparvo . Every Mark lodge as well as each of the Present and Past Grand Officeis should secure copies whilst the limited edition is on sale , for it is quite indispensable for those viho wish authoritative and reliable information as to the Mark Grand Lodge .

"R EI ' RINT oi- THE MINUTES OK THE GRAND LODGE OI- ^ F REE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF PENNSYLVANIA . Compiled by Joshua L . Lyte . Vol . II ., 1 S 01 to 1 S 10 . Philadelphia , 1 S 9 O . "—There are seven members who form the Committee on Library , under whose direction this great volume of oversoo pages has been compiled , the Chairman being Dr . Edward S , Wyckoff , the others being Bros . Highley , Hall , Rambo , Packer , and Francis . Each volume is complete in itself , and a marvel for the insignificant sum of one dollar . Copies may be had from the Grand Secretary or any of the Committee , Masonic Temple , Philadelphia , U . S . A ., for 5 s . post free to this country ,

and it is to be hoped that not a few libraries in England will soon contain copies of both volumes , for the sum is made so low as to encourage a very large sale . The frontispiece this time is the old Pennsylvania Freemasons' Hall , 1 S 01—1 S 11 , which is in striking contrast to the magnificent building of the present day , devoted exclusively to the Craft and the finest of the kind in the world . these old records are very curious , and full of interest to all students , and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and especially the Library Committee deserve the heartfelt thanks of the Fraternity , far and wide , for producing such a fine volume lor the information of brethren in the United States and abroad .

A COMPLIMENTARY dinner was given by the members of the Northern Circuit at the Hotel Mutropole on Saturday evening last , to Mr . McConnell , in celebration of his recent appointment to the Chairmanship of the Quaiter Sessions of the County of London . Bro . S . Pope , CJ . C , Leader of the Circuit , occupied the chair , and among the other leading guests present were the Lord Chief Justice ( Lord Russell of Killowen ) , the Right Hon . the Speaker of the House of Commons ( Bro . W . C . Gully , Q . C , M . P . ) , Bro . Justice Bruce , Bro . Loveland Loveland , Deputy Chairman , and Bro . Tomlinson , M . P .